San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-06-22
A MYSTERIOUS DEATH.
The Body ola Pretty Young Girl Found
Lying in the Chapperal Near
the City Cemetery.

to go into the chapparal near the city
cemetery, aud when he had got about 70
| yards from the roadway he saw the
| form of young girl lying on her
back. At first he thought that the girl
WAS lying there asleep, but nearer APP
| prOaCh satisfied him that the Inflated
fair one was sleeping the sleep that
| knows no awaking. He hurried oil, and
| finding Officer BOshell, he cOmmuni-
Gated his discovery to him and they
| both proceeded to the spot. There,
| with the noon day sun burning upon
her, the victim lay. One hand was
upon the bosom of her dress, which
was opened and displayed lily white
chemise and the contour Of her mag
| nitUent breast; the other hand was
| thrown idly over the stump OF
| mssquite bush. On the face OF the
| dead was triumphant smile seemingly
| saving that Death is swallowed up In
| victory" There were marks OF violence
| upon her. The left breast was bruised,
| the wrists were bruised and scratched,
as II by being held violently, streak OF
| blood was visible on the cheek, and
| there was foam ut the mouth On the
| hands were two gold rings which showed
that if a crime had been committed, rob-
terry was not It's motive. further eX-
animation showed that the deceased was
about 20, 8 feet 3 inches in height,
| OF slight girish figure, and pos
| sessed of luxurious brown hair. She was
| neatly attired in n spotted cotton gown,
| but was only In her stOckinged feet, her
| stockings being neatly darned. No
shoes were upon her feet or could be
found near her. Apparently the de-
| ceased WAS respectable coun-
try girl. The men then In
| vestigaIed the surroundings and
| about ten feet from the body they
found a spot indicating that a severe
struggle had occurred. There, too, they
found half emptied can OF Trough on
| Rats a cup of water and linen hood
that il supposed to have belonged to
the deceased. Justice Barnes was then
notified Of the discovery, and empanel-
| ling a Jury, he proceeded TO the spot. A
| minute examination OF the body re-
veaed the fact that the poor girl could
| not have been dead long, inasmuch rs
| accommodation had not yet commenced,
| but there was nothing to show who the
deceased WAS or from whence she came
Kindly, aye tenderly, the remains OF the
| girl were lifted into wagon and CON
| veved to Justice Barnes office in the
hope that an Identification would follow
MANY viewed the body, some thought
| Lutl hhu btGI htl III bub OouAu
not place her. Peter WOtherspOon
thought that he saw her going towards
| POwderhOuse hill at $50 O'Clock, but
was not sure. Then che was recOg-
nized AS Mrs. Sohubaoh, the wife OF
Henry SChubach, but Henry and his
wife appeared and expelled the idea.
| County Physician Graves examined her,
but did not say what caused death.
Then il was stated that the woman was
one who had given Marshal Rankin i'm
purtant information that led to the ar
rest of the train robbers, but this can
not be verified until Marshal Rankin
arrives and views the body.
One remarkable feature in this case is
| that although the woman was found
with stockinged feet, her stockings are
not sOiled with dirt, nor is there any in
dicatiCn of her walking to the spot
wupre she was found. One Impression is
that she has beeen murdered and carried
there. and that the "ROughs on Rats"
was put near her in order to create the
| idea of suicide, but if that be SO. how is
the signs of struggle accounted for?
The body was placed on ice last night
in order to keep it and today the matter
was duly investigated to determine
how the deceased died, and If she was
murdered, all that can possibly be done,
will be done TO detect the cruel murder
er or murderers identified.
THE MYSTERY CLEARED Up.
BY nine o'clock this morning the iden-
tity of the dead girl was fully estab-
lished, her brother, Joseph Wander
straten, recognizing in the ice-bound
body his sister, Ida. But the face was
wretChedly disCOlOred, and the blister
ing sun, in the glare Of which her body
was found, had left an imprint that may
have caused mistake. To leave no doubt
her father was sent for, and pushed his
way through the crowd and into Justice
Barnes apartments at ~ o'clock. The
old gentleman was, OF course, bewilder-
ed at the sudden and sad announcement
| and when brought face to face with the
| blaCkened COuntenanCe OF his own
daughter, enCased in ice, his amaze
ment absorbed the powers Of lucid judy
mCnt, and it was probably two minutes
until he was able to speak, after having
peered into the rude, ugly looking recep.
tacle which held all that was mortal of
his Oldest daughter.
Two or three officers and trio of
| gaping reporters stood Rpeechess
around the old man as he gazed at the
Hf.less face, for that was the only Wis
Iblc portion of her form.
Judge.
Il believe il is" answered the father,
and moving around TO get better view,
responded again with more emphasis,
Yes. that is my daughter Idan' The
evidence Of the brother had been cor
TOburared by ne who knew her best.
Then the three rings taken from the
dead girls fingers were shown Mr..
Vanderstraten and his son, both OF whom
identified them fully, the father pick
ing out one tiny, much worn
gold ring and remarked to the assem-
blage, that this was a band which had
encircled his wife's finger on her we'd
ding day, forty years ago. There was
not doubt remaining as to her identi-
ty. and the Judge Informed Mr.. Wander
stratten that he should have the body
for burial after the inquest.
SHE MURDERED HERSELF.
A LIGHT reporter visited the home of
Mr.. Vanderstratten. who resides In COM
Portable quarters al 3lS Blum street,
this morning, and broke the news to q
sister who was quietly pursuing her do
mestiC duties. She did not seem much
surprised or agitsted over the tragic de-
mise of her sister, and in fact rather con-
sid' red 1t as a matter OF course. From
her it was learned that the deceased was
30 years of age on the 9th OF last March,
and that since last Christmas has been
earning her own livelihood as servant.
Day before yesterday she came
home from Mrs Scott's, where
she had last been engaged
on Alamo street, and remained